Jason Momoa Aquaman Rumor Raises ‘Justice League’ Casting Questions

As far as DC Comics and Warner Bros.’ movie universe goes, we’re so far into rumor and speculation right now that the nature and patterns of the rumors are about as valid and significant as the supposed information in the rumor itself. The studio’s big 2015 tentpole, Batman vs. Superman,has been a pop-culture focus ever since Ben Affleck’s Batman casting was announced, but since the end of 2013/beginning of 2014 it’s been the supporting cast of the film that has gotten attention.

To make long weeks of rumors short: it currently sounds like Batman vs. Superman could end with a big Justice League team cameo – one that could lead into an official Justice Leaguemovie, which could potentially be shot back-to-back with BvsS. As such, additional DC superheroes (like Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman) have been expected to make an appearance in the big cameo moment – and since we recently heard that characters like Martian Manhunter are off the table, focus has been on more traditional characters like Green Lantern and Flash.

However, Aquaman has been a major character in DC’s post-millennial movement – including the New 52 Continuity reboot. DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer (and comic book creator) Geoff Johns has maintained vague teases that Aquaman is headed for the mainstream – while fans (and sites like ours) have been expressing more and more confidence that an Aquaman movie could be great.

Furthermore, certain sites claim to have sources confirming that a character like Aquaman won’t be in the BvsS Justice League cameo – which makes Badass Digest‘s claim that Momoa IS in the film and WILL be playing Aquaman that much harder to believe.

Jason Momoa in ‘Tempted’

…That brings us back around to the point about patterns of rumors. Look, at this point it’s smart not to believe ANYTHING until we know SOMETHING more solid than we have; but you can look at patterns and make some educated guesses. If Johnson and Momoa were up for the same role, then whomever they were both up for is clearly the version of the character the filmmakers want in their universe.

Doomsday, Cyborg, Aquaman… big Samoan versions would be what we’re getting. That’s not such a big deal for Doomsday (mo-cap) or Cyborg (a non-white football star in the comics) – but Aquaman?

The recent DC Comics “Flashpoint” crossover event featured a bulkier alternate timeline version of Aquaman that could be played by an actor like The Rock or Momoa – and Peter David’s regal “hook hand” version from the ’90s is arguably fair game… but that’s about it. Most other versions of Arthur Curry are leaner and blonder and generally do not match what one associates with the swagger of Momoa and The Rock. In fact, most fans would probably place their Aquaman bets on recent rumors of Josh Holloway being eyed for Justice League.

But this is a cinematic group ensemble we’re discussing, and variety is clearly needed. Two pretty-boy white guys are headlining the roster (Cavill and Affleck); there are rumored plans to make the DCMU more diverse than the comics; and the casting of Israeli babe Gal Gadot as the new Wonder Woman certainly lends credence to the assertion that DC/WB is going more exotic with the big-screen representations of these heroes.

That’s all to say: there’s possibility for BOTH Johnson and Momoa to bring characters like Cyborg and Aquaman into the fold, while simultaneously adding some darker color to the Justice League movie. Holloway could easily play a guy like Barry Allen/Flash, which would create a nice 3 x 3 balance in terms of fair skin, olive skin and Gal Gadot somewhere in the middle. Each of those second-tier characters would also be inhabited by an actor who’s affordable but potentially bankable as a lead, so it wouldn’t be the worst move (business-wise) to have a cast lineup like the one proposed above, if solo films are the eventual goal.

In fact, pleasing fans would be the only major hurdle to conquer; but maybe if more of them see Momoa’s stunning beach work in the 2003 Lifetime movie Tempted, he’ll be their Aquaman of choice: